













Class _E^Z/ ~t_ 

Book ~ T) 56? 
Gcjyri^ht N?._ \^Q 

Cl 

COFYKIGHT DEPOSIT. 














































































- 

■ 

■ 

















































































L 
























i 




























' ’ 



















ROBINSON CRUSOE 



Turning, I saw the sea coming upon me once more 
































ROBINSON CRUSOE 


By 

DANIEL DEFOE 

tt 

Adapted for 
Story-Teller’s House 
by Edith Heal 

Drawings by 

FRANK J. FORSTNEGER 



THOMAS S. ROCKWELL COMPANY 
CHICAGO 
1931 


















?2y 

.Ds6) 

■Ro 

3 


Copyright, 1931, by 
THOMAS S. ROCKWELL COMPANY 
CHICAGO 


Printed in the United States of America 

« •> 


'JUN -1 |93| 

©CIA 37615 




CONTENTS 


I I Go to Sea 7 

I ma\e several voyages—am shipwrecked 
and cast on an island alone. 

II I Make a Settlement 13 

l revisit the ship and supply myself with 
provisions—1 ma\e a rude shelter. 

III My Further Adventures 19 

/ ma\e a calendar—become ill—discover 
a strange remedy. 

IV I Explore 24 

I explore the island—improve my shelter — 
build a countryseat—fashion a canoe. 

V I Am not Alone 31 

I discover a footprint on the shore—and 
ma\e a second fortification. 

VI I View the Savages 37 

1 battle with cannibals and rescue one of 
their intended victims. 

VII I Become a Teacher 45 

I name my man Friday and instruct him in 
the ways of white men. 

VIII We Fight the Savages 50 

We battle the savages — ma\e a rescue—and 
add two more subjects to my island. 


57 


IX We Sight a Ship 

A ship anchors near our island—we rescue 
the captain from mutineers—set sail for 
England. 

X Epilogue 

/ arrive in England, having been thirty-five 
years absent . 


64 


Chapter I 


I GO TO SEA 

I WAS born in the year 1632, in the city of 
York. At a very early age my head began 
to be filled with rambling thoughts. My family 
had hoped that I would enter law but I would 
be satisfied with nothing but going to sea. My 
father, a wise and grave man, begged me to 
give up my dream. He told me it was men 
of desperate fortunes who went abroad upon 
adventures, and that the safe and happy place 
for me was at home. I was deeply affected by 
my father’s words and I tried not to think of 
going abroad any more, but alas—a few days 
wore it all off, and I was soon tormented with 
thoughts of the sea as much as ever. 

So it was, when some time later I was down 
at Hull and met with a companion who was 
going to sea on his father’s ship, I readily ac¬ 
cepted his invitation to accompany him. I 
7 


8 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


consulted neither father nor mother, nor so 
much as sent them word of it. And without 
God’s blessing, or my father’s—and in an ill 
hour, I later came to think—I boarded the ship 
bound for London on the first of September, 
in the year 1651. 

Never had any young adventurer such mis¬ 
fortunes as mine! The ship had no sooner got 
out of the Humber, when the wind began to 
blow and the waves began to rise in a most 
frightful manner. I was sick in body and 
terrified in mind. I began to think seriously 
of what I had done and I remembered my 
father’s tears and my mother’s entreaties. 

However, with my first voyage safely over, 
I soon forgot its unpleasantness. I was reluctant 
to go home. Finally I quite laid aside any 
thoughts of turning landsman and looked about 
for a voyage. First I went on board a vessel 
bound for the coast of Africa. Later I voyaged 
to the islands of the Canaries and the Cape de 
Verd Islands. Finally I settled down at the 
Brazils for a period of several years. For a 
time it looked as if I had taken leave of the sea. 


At Hull 1 met with a companion 
who was going to sea 





I GO TO SEA 


9 


But again I went on board in an evil hour, the 
first of September, 1659, being the same day 
eight years before that I went from my parents 
at Hull. Our ship was not large, carried six 
guns and fourteen men, besides the master, his 
boy, and myself. We had on board no large 
cargo of goods, except such toys and trinkets 
as were fit for our trade with the negroes. We 
set sail to the northward with the plan to later 
cross over directly to the African coast. We 
had very good weather, only it was excessively 
hot all the way up our own coast. All went well 
until a violent tornado came upon us from 
the southeast. For twelve days we were car¬ 
ried as the fury of the winds directed, and dur¬ 
ing these twelve days, I need not say that I 
expected every day to be swallowed up. About 
the twelfth day, the weather abated a little 
and the master made an observation as well 
as he could. 

Looking over the charts of the seacoast of 
America with him, we found that there was 
no inhabited country near, and as we could not 
possibly make our voyage to the coast of Africa 


10 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


without some assistance to our ship and to our¬ 
selves, we changed our course. We hoped to 
reach some of the English islands, but we were 
destined for further terror. A second storm 
came upon us, which carried us away to the 
westward, driving us so far out of the known 
courses that we knew if we escaped the sea we 
would probably be devoured by savages upon 
landing. 

One early morning, the wind still blowing 
hard, a man on deck came running to me, cry¬ 
ing, “Land!” We had no sooner run out of 
the cabin to look than the ship struck upon a 
sand bar and came to a shivering stop. The sea 
broke over her in such a manner that we were 
driven into the cabin in order to keep from 
perishing immediately, where we sat, expecting 
death at every moment. 

There was still one small boat left on board, 
but how to get her off into the sea was a 
doubtful thing. However, there was no room 
to debate, for we fancied the ship would break 
at any time. So it was the mate of our vessel 
laid hold of the boat and with the help of the 


I GO TO SEA 


11 


rest of the men, they got her flung over the 
ship’s side. Eleven in number, we climbed 
into the frail vessel and gave ourselves up to 
the mercy of God and the wild sea. 

We had rowed only about a league and a 
half when a mountain-like wave overtook us. 
It came upon us with such a fury that it over¬ 
set the boat at once, separating us from one 
another and swallowing us up in a moment. 
The wave drove me on, a vast way toward the 
shore. Then, having spent itself, went back 
and left me upon an almost dry land but half¬ 
dead with the water I had taken in. I had so 
much presence of mind that, in spite of my 
exhaustion, I got upon my feet and tried to 
climb further upon the land before another 
wave should return and wash me back into the 
sea again. Turning, I saw the sea coming upon 
me once more—a monstrous wave twenty or 
thirty feet deep. I could feel myself carried 
with mighty force and swiftness toward the 
shore. I was ready to burst with holding my 
breath, when suddenly my head and hands shot 
out above the surface of the water. This re- 


12 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


lieved me greatly and gave me breath and new 
courage. I was covered again with water, but 
I managed to hold out. The great wave spent 
itself and began to return. I struck forward 
against the return of the waters and felt ground 
again with my feet. I stood still a few moments 
to recover my breath and then took to my 
heels and ran with what strength I had on 
toward the shore. 

It was not until later that I realized the only 
prospect before me was of perishing with hun¬ 
ger or being devoured by wild beasts, for I had 
no weapon upon me save a knife. For the 
moment all I knew was that my life was saved! 


Chapter II 


I MAKE A SETTLEMENT 
HEN I awoke it was broad day, the 



VV weather was clear and the sea was quiet. 
The first thing I saw was the ship which had 
been lifted off the sand bar and driven up within 
a mile of the shore where it rested against a 
great rock. A little after noon I found the 
sea very calm and the tide ebbed so far out 
that I could come within a quarter of a mile 
of the ship. I was filled with terrible grief, for 
I saw that if we had kept on board we would 
have all been saved. I resolved if possible to 
get to the ship in hopes that the provisions were 
still aboard her. 

I pulled off my clothes and struck out toward 
her, but when I reached her side, my difficulty 
was how to get on board. She lay aground 
and high out of the water so that there was 
nothing within my reach to lay hold of. I 


13 


14 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


swam around her twice, and the second time 
I spied a small piece of rope which I got hold 
of and pulled myself into the forecastle. Here 
I found that a great deal of water was in her 
hold, but that the provisions were dry and un¬ 
touched by the water. I saw that I must have 
a boat in order to carry away with me the many 
things I knew that I would need. 

It was in vain to sit still and wish for what 
was not to be had. There were several spare 
yards of sail and two or three large spars of 
wood on board, and I fell to work upon these. 
I tied the wood fast together at both ends in 
the form of a raft and laying two or three 
short pieces of plank upon them, crossways, I 
found I could walk upon it very well but that 
it was still not able to bear any great weight. 
I went to work again and with the carpenter’s 
saw I cut a spare topmast into three lengths 
and added them to my raft with a great deal 
of labor and pains. My raft was now strong 
enough to bear any reasonable weight. 

I first laid all the planks or boards upon it 
that I could get. I filled three seamen’s chests 


I MAKE A SETTLEMENT 


15 


with provisions—rice, three Dutch cheeses, five 
pieces of dried goats’ flesh, and some European 
corn. After long searching I found the car¬ 
penter’s chest, which was indeed a useful prize 
to me and much more valuable than a ship' 
load of gold would have been at this time. My 
next search was for some ammunition and 
arms. There were two good fowling-pieces in 
the great cabin, and two pistols, some powder 
horns and a small bag of shot and two old 
rusty swords. I found that two barrels of 
powder were still dry and good and these I 
managed to get on my raft also. I was well 
freighted, and I began to think about how I 
should get to shore, having neither sail, oar, 
nor rudder. 

Three things encouraged me: first, a smooth, 
calm sea; second, the tide rising and setting in 
to shore; third, what little wind there was 
would blow me toward the land. Having 
found two or three broken oars belonging to 
the boat, two saws, an ax, and a hammer, I put 
to sea with my valuable cargo. For more than 
an hour I urged my little craft on, and with 


For more than an hour 1 
urged my little craft on 






16 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


great difficulty finally guided her into a little 
cove on the shore. 

My next work was to view the country and 
seek a proper place to settle. There was a hill 
above me, rising steep and high. I took out 
one of the pistols and a horn of powder, and 
thus armed, I traveled to the top of the hill 
to sight the country about me. I saw my fate 
as soon as I had reached the heights. I was on 
an island, surrounded on all sides by the sea. 
No land was in sight except some rocks off-shore 
and two small islands about three leagues to the 
west. I found also that the island was barren 
and, I saw good reason to believe, uninhabited 
except by wild beasts. There were many fowls, 
but I did not know their kinds, and if I killed 
them I knew that I could not tell which was 
good for food and which was carrion flesh. 

I made my way back to the raft and fell 
to work to bring my cargo on to the shore. It 
seemed wise for me to make further trips to 
the ship; so I swam out when the tide was 
down as before, made another raft and loaded 
it with two or three bags of nails and spikes, 


I MAKE A SETTLEMENT 


17 


a great screw-jack, a dozen hatchets, and a 
grindstone. Besides these, I took all the men’s 
clothes and more ammunition. This day a dog, 
which had been shut in the cabin, swam ashore 
with the raft, and he was my faithful servant 
from then on. 

Every day at low tide I made a trip to the 
ship and brought back rigging and rope, spare 
canvas, more bread, a box of sugar, a barrel 
of fine flour, two cables and some ironwork, 
two or three razors, a pair of large scissors, 
knives and forks, and some pieces of gold and 
silver. I could not help smiling somewhat bit¬ 
terly as I took the coins. One knife alone was 
worth more than a whole fortune to me in my 
present plight. On the fourteenth day I awoke 
and saw that the ship had disappeared. 

My thoughts were now wholly occupied in 
making myself safe from the appearances of 
possible savages or wild beasts. I had slept in 
a temporary shelter made of sail and four poles. 
Now I decided to build a stronger settlement. 
I found a hillside with a slight hollow in it like 
a cave. In front of this hollow I pitched my 


18 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


tent, surrounding it with two rows of strong 
stakes to which I fastened the ship cables. I 
now had a fence no one could easily get over. 

The entrance into my settlement was over 
the top of the fence. I made a short ladder 
which I lifted over after me when I was inside. 
Into this fence or fortress I carried all my riches, 
all my provisions, ammunition, and stores; then 
I made a large tent and a smaller tent within, 
covering the top tent with a large tarpaulin to 
keep out the rains. A ship hammock was my 
bed and the rock cave my storehouse. And 
this was to be my home for many days. 


Chapter III 


MY FURTHER ADVENTURES 
r TER I had been on shore some time, I 



jl jl realized that I would lose my reckoning 
of the days unless I devised some way of keep¬ 
ing track of them. So I figured back the time 
and cut with a knife upon a large post: “I 

CAME ON SHORE HERE ON THE 3OTH OF SEP¬ 
TEMBER, 1659.” Upon the sides of this square 
post I cut every day a notch with my knife, and 
every seventh notch was as long again as the 
rest, and every first day of the month as long 
again as the mark for Sunday. Thus I kept 
my calendar. 

In one of the chests I found pens and ink, 
and so I began to put down my affairs in writ¬ 
ing in order to keep my mind from morbid 
thoughts. The first thing that I did was to 
look at my case fairly. I then wrote the fol¬ 
lowing testimony: 


19 


20 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


Evil 

I am cast upon a horrible 
desolate island, void of 
all hope and recovery, 

/ am singled out and sep¬ 
arated, as it were, from 
all the world, to be 
miserable, 

1 am divided from man¬ 
kind and banished from 
human society, 

I am without any defense, 
or means to resist any 
violence of man or beast, 


Good 

But 1 am alive; and not 
drowned, as all my ship's 
company were, 

But 1 am singled out, too, 
from all the ship's crew, 
spared from death 
miraculously, 

But l am not starved and 
perishing. 


But I am cast on an island 
where 1 see no wild beast 
to hurt me. 


1 have no soul to spea\ to But God wonderfully 
or relieve me, sent the ship near enough 

to shore so that l have in 
my possession all things 
necessary to enable me to 
supply my wants as long 
as 1 live. 


As long as my ink lasted I kept a journal 
of my adventures. Extracts from it will tell 


MY FURTHER ADVENTURES 


21 


you in detail all the horrors I went through in 
those first days on the desert island. 

September 30th, 1659. ^ poor, miserable 

Robinson Crusoe, being shipwrecked during a 
dreadful storm came on shore on this dismal, 
unfortunate island which I called the Island 
of Despair. 

November 13. This day it rained and 
cooled the earth; but it was accompanied with 
terrible thunder and lightning, which fright¬ 
ened me dreadfully for fear my gunpowder 
would catch on fire. As soon as it was over, I 
resolved to separate my stock of powder into 
as many little parcels as possible that it might 
not be in danger. 

November 23. I have spent eighteen days 
in widening and deepening my cave so that 
there will be more room in it to hold my goods. 
I carried everything into the cave and began 
to furnish my house, and set up some pieces of 
boards, like a dresser, to put my food upon, and 
made myself a small table. 

December 27. Lamed a young goat and 
led it home by a string. When I got it there 


Notches on a square post served me 
as a calendar 








22 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


I bound and splintered up its leg and took 
such care of it that it lived. It grew tame 
and would not go away. This was the first 
thought I had of breeding tame creatures that 
I might have food when my powder and shot 
were gone. 

April 16. A terrible earthquake fright¬ 
ened me on this day and destroyed much of 
my work about my cave. 

June 16. Going down to the seaside, I 
found a large tortoise, or turtle. This was the 
first I had seen. I cooked it and it was most 
savory and pleasant. 

June ig. Very ill, and shivering. 

June 20. No rest all night; violent pains 
in my head. Feverish. 

June 21. Very ill; frightened almost to 
death at my sad condition. 

Here my journal ends. There followed days 
of horrible illness with fits and nightmares and 
terrible fevers. It occurred to me in this illness 
that the Brazilians always use tobacco for 
medicine; so I went to one of my chests and 
found a cure both for soul and body. I tried 


MY FURTHER ADVENTURES 


23 


several experiments with the tobacco, chewing 
some, burning it and smelling the smoke, and 
brewing a tobacco tea. I awoke one morning 
after this treatment, feeling exceedingly re¬ 
freshed. I got stronger each day and finally 
was able to walk around again. I killed a sea 
fowl or two, but found them unpleasant eating, 
and went back to turtle’s eggs, which were 
always good. 


Chapter IV 


I EXPLORE 


I HAD now been on this unhappy island a 
little more than ten months. All chance 
of escape seemed to be entirely taken from me, 
and I firmly believed that no human shape had 
ever set foot upon that place. I had a great 
desire to make a complete survey of the island 
to see if I might find anything on it of interest 
to me. It was on the fifteenth of July that I 
began to explore. 

I went up the creek first, but found that it 
was little more than a brook of running water, 
fresh and good. I found a great deal of 
tobacco and some large plants of aloes. There 
were wild sugar-canes and many other plants 
which I had never seen before. The next day 
I went further than I had gone the day before, 
and the country became more woody. In a 
little vale I found different fruits; melons, 




Near a broo\ of running 
water 1 found a great deal 
of tobacco and some aloes 



I EXPLORE 


25 


grapes, oranges, lemons, and citrons. There 
were green limes which I mixed with water 
and found cool and refreshing. 

I was so enamoured of this place that I spent 
much of my time there for the whole remain¬ 
ing part of the month of July. I built a small 
bower, surrounding it at a distance with a 
strong fence like the one I had made around 
my other home. Here I lay very secure some¬ 
times two or three nights together; always 
going over the fence with a ladder. So I had 
my country and my sea-coast house. 

My food was now regulated thus: For 
breakfast I ate a bunch of raisins (which I 
made myself by hanging the grapes in the sun 
to dry), a piece of goat’s flesh or a broiled 
turtle for dinner, and two or three of the 
turtle’s eggs for my supper. 

I now resolved to travel further. I went 
beyond the vale where my bower stood and 
came within view of the sea to the west. I 
could see very clearly a large island or continent 
some fifteen or twenty leagues off. I could not 
tell what part of the world this might be, though 


26 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


I was certain that it was a part of America 
somewhere near the Spanish dominions. 

I found this side of the island much pleas¬ 
anter than mine; the savannah fields sweetly 
adorned with flowers and grass and full of fine 
woods. I saw an abundance of parrots and 
finally caught one with great difficulty. 

I took another way to come back than the 
way I had come, but I found myself lost in a 
valley, and finally I had to return to the 
same path I had taken in the beginning. 

You are to understand that now I had, as I 
may call it, two plantations on the island: one, 
my little fortification or tent with the wall about 
it, and the cave in the rock which by now I had 
enlarged into several apartments or caves, one 
within another. Besides this, I had my country- 
seat; and I had now a tolerable plantation there 
also. Adjoining it was an enclosure for my 
goats which I had taken great pains to fence 
and fortify. I had stuck the outside of the 
hedge so full of small stakes and so near to 
one another, that it was rather a pale than a 
hedge. Afterwards, when the stakes grew, as 



Into this fence or fortress 1 carried all my riches, 
all my provisions, ammunition, and stores 







28 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


they all did in the next rainy season, the 
enclosure was as strong as any wall could 
make it. 

This will testify for me that I was not idle, 
and that I spared no pains to bring to pass 
whatever appeared necessary for my comfort¬ 
able support. I considered the maintaining of 
a breed of tame creatures to be a necessity in 
order that I would have a living supply of 
flesh, milk, butter, and cheese as long as I lived 
in the place, if it were to be forty years. 

In this place also I had my grapes growing, 
which I principally depended on for my winter 
store of raisins, the best and most agreeable 
dainty of my whole diet. 

At length, I began to think whether it was 
not possible to make myself a canoe such as the 
natives of certain climates make from the trunk 
of a great tree. With much trouble I found 
the proper tree and began to hew and dub the 
outside into the proper shape of a boat, and to 
burn and cut out a hollow inside. I was twenty 
days hacking and hewing at the bottom, and 
fourteen more getting the branches and limbs 


I EXPLORE 


29 


cut off. After this, it cost me a month to shape 
it and dub it to a proportion and shape some¬ 
thing like the bottom of a boat. It cost me 
nearly three months to clear the inside. When 
I completed my labors I had a splendid canoe, 
big enough to carry six-and-twenty men and, 
consequently, big enough to carry me and all 
my cargo. Imagine my horror upon finishing 
the canoe to find that I could not possibly lift 
it into the water. I spent days of calculating 
to see if I could bring the water to the canoe, 
but even by digging a canal I saw that it would 
be the work of several years. 

One would imagine, if I had reflected upon 
my circumstances, that I should have thought 
of how to launch the boat first of all, but I had 
been so intent upon building it, the thought 
had never occurred to me. I was obliged to 
let it lie where it was, as a memorandum to 
teach me to be wiser the next time. 

I immediately set about making a small 
canoe which I even fitted up with a mast and 
sail, but on my first venture out to sea I found 
the current so strong that I had a terrible pull 


I set about making 
small canoe 





30 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


reaching shore again. This frightened me so 
badly that I dared not attempt further voyag¬ 
ing. Sometimes I went out in the boat, but 
scarcely a stone’s throw from the shore, so 
apprehensive was I of the currents or the winds 
or some other accident. 

It will seem almost unbelievable that I had 
now been on the island some eleven years— 
mostly taken up with the uneventful task of 
preserving my own life and surrounding 
myself with more comfortable and strong 
safeguards. 


Chapter V 


I AM NOT ALONE! 

I T HAPPENED one day, about noon, going 
toward my boat, I was exceedingly sur¬ 
prised at the sight of the print of a man’s naked 
foot on the shore. It was very plain to be seen 
in the sand. I stood like one thunder-struck, 
or as if I had seen an apparition. I listened, I 
looked around me, but I could hear nothing, 
nor see anything. I went up to a rising ground, 
to look farther. I went up the shore and down 
the shore, but it was all as usual. I could see 
no other impression but that one. I went to it 
again to see if there were any more near it, and 
to observe if it might not be my fancy, but there 
was no room for doubt. There, indeed, was 
the print of a foot, toes, heel, and every part 
of a foot. How it came thither I knew not, nor 
could I in the least imagine. Feeling terribly 
confused and startled, I went home to my for- 

31 


At the sight of the 
stood li\e one 





32 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


tification, scarcely able to feel the ground I 
walked on, looking behind me at every two 
or three steps, mistaking every bush and tree, 
and fancying every stump at a distance to be 
a man. 

When I reached my castle, I fled into it like 
one pursued. I slept none that night. Some¬ 
times I thought it must be the Devil who had 
made the footprint; for how could any other 
thing in human shape come into the place? 
Where was the vessel that brought him? What 
marks were there of any other footsteps? And 
how was it possible a man should come there? 
But many things convinced me it was not the 
Devil; and I presently concluded that it must 
be some more dangerous creature. It was 
probably one of a party of savages from the 
mainland who had wandered out to sea in their 
canoes, and, either driven by the currents or 
by contrary winds, had made the island’s 
shore. Undoubtedly they were gone away 
again to sea, being as loth to stay on this 
desolate island as I would have been to have 
had them here. 


I AM NOT ALONE 


33 


In the midst of these thoughts, it occurred 
to me one day that all this might be a mere 
illusion, and that this footprint might be my 
own. This cheered me and I began to persuade 
myself it was all a delusion. I tried to convince 
myself that I had played the part of those fools 
who make up stories of specters and appari¬ 
tions, and then are frightened at them more 
than anybody else. 

At last I began to take courage, and to peep 
abroad again, for I had not stirred out of my 
castle for three days and nights, so that I began 
to starve for provisions. I knew also that my 
goats wanted to be milked. Encouraging 
myself, therefore, with the belief that this was 
nothing but the print of one of my own feet, 
and that I might be truly said to start at my 
own shadow, I ventured forth again. First I 
went to my country-house to milk my 
flock. Ah, with what fear I went my way! 
How often I looked behind me, how I was 
ready, every now and then, to lay down my 
basket, and run for my life. 

However, as two or three days passed and I 


34 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


saw nothing unusual, I began to be a little 
bolder. I finally persuaded myself to go down 
to the shore again to see this print of a foot 
and measure it by my own to assure myself 
that I had indeed made it myself. But when 
I came to the place, first, it appeared quite 
evident that I could not possibly have walked 
on that part of the shore; and, second, when I 
came to measure the mark with my own foot, I 
found my foot not so large by a great deal. 

Both of these things filled my head with 
new fancies, and gave me the chills so that I 
shook with cold like one in an ague. Fear of 
danger is ten thousand times more terrifying 
than danger itself. The confusion of my 
thoughts kept me awake all night, but toward 
morning I fell into a deep sleep. I woke up 
refreshed and in a much saner state of mind. 
I concluded that this island, which was so 
exceedingly pleasant and fruitful and within 
reach of the mainland, was not so entirely 
abandoned as I had imagined it to be. Though 
there were no inhabitants who lived on the spot, 
yet there might sometimes come boats, either 


I AM NOT ALONE 


35 


by design or driven there by cross-currents, 
bringing strangers to the shore. That I had 
lived here a dozen years and had not met with 
the least shadow of man, was undoubtedly a 
chance. Probably I had more than once slept 
with another human on my island. There was 
nothing for me to do but to consider some safe 
retreat, in case I should see any more savages 
land upon the spot. 

I resolved to make a second fortification, in 
the same manner of a semicircle, at a distance 
from my wall. I also planted more stakes 
between the trees I had put in twelve years 
before to make my first wall. I now had a 
double wall, and I thickened the inside wall 
to about ten feet with earth and rock. I left 
seven holes in which I fitted muskets and I 
arranged them so that I could fire all the seven 
guns in two minutes’ time. This wall I was 
many a weary month finishing, and yet never 
thought myself safe till it was done. When it 
was finished, I planted many sticks of osier— 
nearly twenty thousand of them, beyond my 
wall. 









36 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


Years went by—in two years’ time, I had a 
thick grove surrounding me, and in five or six 
years’ time, I had a wood before my dwell¬ 
ing, growing thick and strong and nearly 
impassable. 


Chapter VI 


I VIEW THE SAVAGES 

I T WAS not long after this that I came to 
the conclusion that seeing the print of a 
man’s foot on my island had not been as 
strange a thing as I had imagined. A special 
providence had apparently cast me upon the 
side of the island where the savages never 
came. I learned this when one day, as I walked 
to the other side of the island, I came upon the 
most horrible sight. The shore was spread with 
skulls, hands, feet, and other bones of human 
bodies. I saw a place where there had been a 
fire. The picture was all too plain. Not only 
had I wild men to hide from—but cannibals 
as well. 

It was now the month of December, in my 
twenty-third year. It was harvest time, and I 
was abroad in the fields at an early hour, some¬ 
times even before daylight. It happened one 

37 


38 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


morning as I made my way along in the early 
darkness before dawn, I was surprised by the 
light of a fire about two miles down the shore. 

I hurried back to my castle and took my post 
within. I loaded all my cannon, that is to say, 
my muskets, and all my pistols, and resolved to 
defend myself to the last gasp. I stood at my 
post for about two hours. Then I began to get 
impatient. After sitting a while longer, I could 
not bear the suspense any more. I set up my 
ladder against the side of the hill and climbing 
to the top of it, I took my perspective glass and 
looked through it. Never had my glass showed 
man a stranger picture than the one it showed 
me. I found that there were no less than nine 
naked savages sitting around a small fire. The 
weather was warm; so I knew that the fire 
was not to give heat, but probably to cook some 
of the human flesh they had brought to the 
island with them. 

I could see two canoes which they had 
hauled up upon the shore. It was now ebb-tide. 
For two hours they danced upon the sand. As 
soon as the tide returned, I saw them all take 


I VIEW THE SAVAGES 


39 


to the boats and row away. When they had 
shipped and gone, I took two guns upon my 
shoulders, two pistols in my girdle, and my 
great sword by my side. With all the speed 
I was able to make, I hurried through the 
forest toward the shore where they had been. 

The sight that met my eyes was dreadful 
indeed. I could see the marks of horror that 
had been left behind, the blood, the bones, and 
part of the flesh of human bodies. I was so 
filled with indignation at the sight that I began 
to plan the destruction of any further savage 
that landed upon the island. However, a year 
and three months more passed before I saw 
them again. 

One early morning as I walked on the 
island, I was suddenly startled to see five 
canoes on my own shore. There were no people 
in sight, but the number of canoes frightened 
me. I knew that the savages always came four 
or six to a boat. How was I to attack twenty 
or thirty men single-handed? I lay in my 
castle perplexed and in terrible suspense. 

Finally I set my guns at the foot of my 


M' 


The sight that met my eyes 
was dreadful indeed 


40 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


ladder, and climbed the hill with my perspective 
glass. Here I observed no less than thirty of 
the savages a mile down the shore. A fire was 
kindled, and they were all dancing a strange 
and barbarous dance around the flames. 

While I was thus looking at them, I perceived 
two miserable wretches dragged from the boats. 
I knew that they had been brought out for the 
slaughter. I saw one of them immediately fall 
to the ground, and two or three savages bent 
over him to cut him open for their cookery. 
The other victim was left standing by himself, 
till they should be ready for him. At that very 
moment, this poor wretch, seeing himself at 
liberty and unbound, started to run with in¬ 
credible swiftness along the sands directly 
toward me. 

I was dreadfully frightened when I perceived 
him run my way, and especially when I saw 
that three of the savages pursued him. But I 
found that he outstripped the others in running, 
and gained ground on them, so that if he could 
but hold it for half an hour he would probably 
get away from them. 


Here 1 observed no less than thirty of the savages 
a mile down the shore 



41 








42 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


There was a creek between them and my 
castle. This I saw plainly he must swim across. 
When he reached the water, he made nothing 
of it, though the tide was then up. He plunged 
in, swam through in about thirty strokes, 
landed, and ran on with exceeding strength 
and swiftness. 

When the three persons came to the creek, I 
found that two of them could swim, but the 
third could not. He went no farther and soon 
turned back in the direction of the shore he had 
left. I saw that the two who swam over the 
creek took twice as long as the poor fellow who 
had fled from them. It came upon me now 
that this was the time to get me a servant, and 
perhaps a companion or assistant. It was plain 
that Providence had called upon me to save this 
poor creature’s life. 

I immediately ran down the ladder with all 
possible speed, fetched my two guns, and 
hastened to place myself between the pursuers 
and the man who fled for his life. I hallooed 
loudly at him. At first he was as much 
frightened at me as at the savages, but I 


I VIEW THE SAVAGES 


43 


beckoned with my hand for him to come to 
me. I slowly advanced toward the two canni¬ 
bals, and rushing upon the nearest, I knocked 
him down with the handle of my gun. I saw 
that the other had drawn his bow and arrow, so 
I was forced to shoot at once. He fell dead at 
the first shot. 

The poor man who was fleeing for his life 
saw both his enemies fall, but he was so 
frightened at the fire and noise of my gun that 
he stood stock-still, unable to stir. I called 
again to him and made signs for him to come 
forward. 

At that moment I saw the savage whom I 
had knocked down was not killed, but merely 
stunned by the blow from my gun. I pointed 
this out to the man I had saved. He at once 
came near me, and made a motion to take the 
sword which hung in my belt. He ran at once 
to the savage and cut his head off. When he 
had done this, he came to me, laughing 
triumphantly, and kneeling down every ten or 
twelve steps in acknowledgment for having 
saved his life. I smiled at him and beckoned 


44 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


to him to come to me. At length he kneeled 
down again, kissed the ground, and laid his 
head upon the ground. Taking me by the foot, 
he set my foot upon his head. By doing 
this, I learned later, he had pledged himself 
to be my slave forever. 


Chapter VII 


I BECOME A TEACHER 

A FTER the man I had saved rose from my 
- feet, he at once began to make signs to 
me. I understood him to mean that he should 
bury the savages in the sand that the others 
might not see the bodies in case they followed. 
I made signs in return for him to do this. He 
fell to work; in an instant he had scraped a 
hole in the sand with his hands, big enough 
to bury the first. He did the same for the 
second. 

He was a comely, handsome fellow, perfectly 
made, with straight, strong limbs, not too 
large, tall and well-shaped, and, as I reckon, 
about twenty-six years of age. He had a good 
countenance, not a fierce and surly aspect, but 
manly and at the same time filled with all the 
sweetness and softness of a European. His hair 
was long and black, not curled like wool; his 

45 


46 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


forehead high and large, and a great vivacity 
and sparkling sharpness shone in his eyes. The 
color of his skin was not quite black, but tawny, 
not an ugly yellow, but a bright agreeable olive- 
color. His face was round and plump; his nose 
small, not flat like the Negroes; a good mouth, 
thin lips, and fine teeth as white as ivory. 

I led him to where my cave was. After 
giving him bread and a bunch of raisins to 
eat, I made signs for him to go and lie down 
to sleep. 

When he had slumbered about half an hour, 
he awoke again and came out of the cave. 
Seeing me, he came running, making all the 
possible signs of humility and gratitude. I was 
well pleased with him. In a little time I began 
to speak to him and teach him to speak to me. 
The first thing I did was to let him know his 
name would be Friday, which was the day he 
had come to me. I likewise taught him to say 
Master; and then let him know that this was 
to be my name. 

The next day we climbed the hill, and I 
looked to see if the savages had gone. There 


I BECOME A TEACHER 


47 


was no sign of their canoes. As we went past 
the place where the two men were buried, 
Friday pointed to the place and made signs to 
me that we should dig them up and eat them. 
I appeared angry at this and expressed great 
horror at the idea. Then I beckoned Friday 
away from the spot and he followed me with 
submission. 

My next task was to dress Friday. I gave 
him a pair of breeches from one of the chests 
I had saved from the wreck, and then I made 
him a jerkin of goat’s skin and a cap of hare’s 
skin. He was very well pleased to see himself 
almost as well-clothed as his master. It is true, 
he wore his clothes awkwardly at first, but he 
soon became used to them. 

This became the pleasantest year of all the 
life I led on the island. At first I watched 
Friday carefully. But it was needless, for never 
was there a more faithful, loving, sincere 
servant than Friday was to me. He was with¬ 
out passions, sullenness, or designs, and even 
his affections were tied to me, like those of a 
child to a father. He began to talk pretty well 










48 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


and to understand the names of almost every¬ 
thing about us. Our conversations must have 
sounded very odd, but we understood each other 
well. 

After Friday and I became more intimately 
acquainted, I told him my own history. I let 
him into the mystery of gunpowder and bullet, 
and taught him how to shoot. I gave him a 
knife and a hatchet to hang from a belt I made 
for him. I described my own people, telling 
him how we worshiped God, and how we 
treated our fellow-men. I told him of our ship, 
and after he had listened, he said: “Me see 
such boat like that come to my nation.” I 
decided that some European ship must have 
been cast upon their coast. Friday described 
the boat to me and then added the astonishing 
news: “The boat full of white mans.” I 
questioned him further, and found that the 
savages had saved seventeen white men and that 
these men were still alive. The savages only 
ate men that they took in battle. 

I knew then that I must form some plan to 
visit Friday’s continent and see the white men 


I BECOME A TEACHER 


49 


there. We set to work to make a canoe large 
enough for the voyage. It took us several 
months, but when we were finished we had a 
fine ship with a mast and sails and a rudder to 
steer her by. The rainy season broke upon us, 
and we stowed our vessel securely at a little 
dock we made, and then we went inside to 
spend most of our days in conversation while 
we waited for the months of November and 
December when the weather would be fine 
enough for us to undertake a voyage. 


Chapter VIII 

WE FIGHT THE SAVAGES 



W HEN the settled season began, I set 
about preparing for the voyage. I was 
busy at this one morning when I called to 
Friday and bade him go to the seashore in 
search of turtles and turtle-eggs. Friday had 
not been gone long when he came running 
back. He fairly flew over my outer wall, and 
before I had time to speak to him, he cried 
out: “O master! O master! O sorrow! O 
bad!” “What’s the matter, Friday?” I said. 
“O yonder, there—one, two, three canoe.” 
“Well, Friday,” I said, “do not be frightened.” 

So I heartened him up as well as I could, 
but I saw that he was indeed frightened. 
Finally I told him that we must fight the in¬ 
truders. “Can you shoot, Friday?” 

“Me shoot,” he said, “but there come many 
number.” 


I saw that there were 
one - and - twenty sav¬ 
ages preparing a bar¬ 
barous banquet 








WE FIGHT THE SAVAGES 


51 


I gave him two fowling-pieces, and I took 
four muskets. I hung my great sword at my 
side, and I gave Friday his hatchet. Then I 
went up the hill with my glass. I saw that 
there were one-and-twenty savages, three pris¬ 
oners, and three canoes. Their whole business 
seemed to be the preparation of a barbarous 
banquet. 

I charged Friday to keep close to me, and 
not to stir, nor shoot, nor do anything till I or¬ 
dered him. When I had come near enough to 
the savages, I sent Friday to peer from behind a 
tree to report to me what they were doing. He 
did so, and came back to me, telling me that 
they were all about the fire eating the flesh of 
one of their prisoners. He said that another 
prisoner lay on the sand near-by, bound help¬ 
lessly, and moreover, that this man was one of 
the bearded white men he had told me about. I 
was at once filled with horror. I seized my 
glass and looked for myself. It was true. He 
was a European and he had clothes on! 

I had now not a moment to lose, for two of 
the savages had already gone to untie the bonds 


52 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


that held the poor Christian that they might 
butcher him next. I turned to Friday. “Do 
exactly as you see me do,” I commanded. 

Then I set down one of the muskets and the 
fowling-piece upon the ground, and Friday did 
the same. With the other musket I took my 
aim at the savages and fired. Friday took his 
aim so much better than I that he killed two 
savages and wounded three more, while I 
killed but one and wounded two. They were 
thrown into the wildest confusion. All who 
were not hurt jumped to their feet, but for a 
moment they did not know where to run. 
Friday looked to me for our next move. So 
I fired again, and so did he. Two were killed 
and many more wounded. They ran about 
yelling and screaming like mad creatures. 

“Now, Friday,” I said, taking up the musket 
which was still loaded, “follow me.” 

I rushed out of the wood and showed my¬ 
self. Friday was close behind me. As soon 
as they saw me, I shouted as loud as I could 
and bade Friday do so too. I made directly for 
the two poor victims who lay on the beach. 



When Friday bent over the prisoner, the loo\ on 
his face would have moved anyone to tears 


S3 







54 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


While my man Friday continued the battle, I 
loosed the hands and feet of the poor white 
prisoner. I lifted him up, and asked him in 
the Portuguese tongue, what he was. He 
answered in Latin, “Christianus.” But he was 
so weak and faint he could scarcely speak a 
word. I took my bottle out of my pocket and 
gave it to him, making signs for him to drink, 
and I gave him a piece of bread to eat. Then 
I asked him what country he had come from, 
and he answered that he was “Espagniole.” I 
knew very little Spanish, but I said to him as 
best I could: “Signor, we will talk afterward, 
but we must fight now. If you have any 
strength left, take this pistol and sword.” 

He took them at once, and no sooner had 
he the arms in his hands than all his strength 
came back and he flew at his murderers like 
a fury. Friday pursued the flying wretches 
with no weapon in his hand but his hatchet, 
and with that he dispatched three more. The 
Spaniard cut two lusty wounds on another’s 
head. Three escaped in the canoe, and that 
was all that were left alive. 


WE FIGHT THE SAVAGES 


55 


I now turned my attention to the other poor 
prisoner. He was tied so hard at his neck and 
heels that he had but little life in him. I cut 
the twisted rushes that bound him and tried 
to help him up. He groaned most piteously, 
believing that he had been unbound only to be 
killed. When Friday came to him, I bade him 
speak to the poor soul and reassure him. 

But when Friday bent over the prisoner, the 
look on his face would have moved any one 
to tears. He kissed the savage, embraced him, 
hugged him, cried, laughed, hallooed, jumped 
about, danced, sang, and finally wept. It was 
a long time before I could make him speak to 
me to tell me what was the matter. When he 
came to himself a little, he told me that the 
savage was his father. 

It is not easy for me to describe half the ex¬ 
pressions of love that Friday showed to his 
father. He fed the poor old man, and rubbed 
his numbed arms and ankles. While Friday 
aided his father, I cared for the poor Spaniard. 
In a few hours, we had made them a hand¬ 
some tent from old sails and the boughs of trees. 


56 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


My island was now peopled, and I thought 
myself rich in subjects. It was a merry reflec¬ 
tion. How like a king I was! First of all, the 
whole country was my own property, so that 
I had an undoubted right of dominion. Sec¬ 
ondly, my people were perfectly subjected. I 
was absolutely lord and lawgiver, and they all 
owed their lives to me. 


Chapter IX 


WE SIGHT A SHIP 

W HEN none of the canoes returned in 
several days, I began to resume my 
former thoughts of a voyage to the main to 
rescue the shipwrecked white men. It was de¬ 
cided to increase our provisions first. A good 
harvest of barley and rice assured us of ample 
supplies. 

I then gave the Spaniard leave to go over 
to the main. I charged the father of Friday 
to attend him. They went away with a fair 
gale, on the day that the moon was at full in 
the month of October. 

It was no less than eight days I had waited 
for them, when a strange and unforseen acci¬ 
dent intervened. I was fast asleep in my hut 
one morning, when my man Friday came run¬ 
ning in to me, and called aloud: “Master, 
Master, a ship, a ship!” 


57 


58 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


I cannot express my joy at seeing a ship, 
and one I had reason to believe was manned 
by my own countrymen. Yet I had some secret 
doubts. It occurred to me to consider what 
business an English ship could have in this 
part of the world, since it was far out of the 
way of traffic. I decided that I had better 
remain in hiding until I knew whether these 
men were honest sailors or a band of thieves 
and murderers. 

I saw them beach a half a mile away. There 
were eleven men, three unarmed and appar¬ 
ently bound as prisoners. I could not under¬ 
stand the meaning of this. In my heart I feared 
that they were going to be murdered. How¬ 
ever, the eight free men left the three prisoners 
down on the shore and set about exploring the 
island. 

It was high water when they came to the 
island. Ebb-tide soon followed, and I knew 
that it would be a good ten hours before they 
could leave the shore again. I hid in the groves 
and listened for any word that might be said, 
and soon my opinion that these men were Eng- 


7 saw them beach a half a mile away 



WE SIGHT A SHIP 


59 


lish and seamen was confirmed, for I heard one 
say to another: “Leave the boat alone, Jack, 
can’t you? She’ll float next tide.” 

When night came, I resolved to steal down 
to the shore and make myself known to the 
three miserable prisoners. Friday followed me. 
I came near and spoke in Spanish. They started 
up at the noise, and looked terrified when they 
beheld my uncouth figure. Then I spoke again 
in English: “Gentlemen,” said I, “do not be 
surprised at me. Perhaps you may have a friend 
near, when you did not expect one.” “He must 
be sent directly from Heaven then,” said one of 
them gravely, “for our condition is past the 
help of man.” “I will try to help you,” I an¬ 
swered, “but tell me of your distress. I saw 
you when you landed and you seem to be at the 
mercy of those who brought you here.” 

The elder of the three men spoke, with tears 
running down his face. “Am I talking to 
God or man?” he said. “Our case, sir, is too 
long to tell you while our murderers are near. 
In short, I was commander of that ship. My 
men have mutinied against me. They have set 


60 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


me on shore in this desolate place with my mate 
and one passenger, expecting us to perish here.” 

The commander told me that there were 
two desperate villains among them who had 
led all the rest. If they were secured, he be¬ 
lieved the others would return to their duty. I 
also learned that they were not well armed. 

I gave the captain and his mate a musket, 
and with a pistol in my hand we set out. The 
first three we took easily. They called for help, 
but the captain told them that it was too late 
for that. They begged for mercy when they 
saw me, and the captain told them he would 
spare their lives if they would be faithful to him 
and aid him in recovering the ship. They prom¬ 
ised him to do this, but I insisted that they be 
bound hand and foot as long as they were on 
the island. 

Our next plan was to carry away the oars, 
mast, sail, and rudder of the small boat. After 
awhile the rest of the sailors came back to the 
boat. It was easy to see their surprise to find 
her stripped. They shouted loudly, and finally 
came together in a ring and fired a volley of 


WE SIGHT A SHIP 


61 


arms. But we rushed up behind them, and upon 
hearing our guns fired, and seeing the cap¬ 
tain, they submitted to us. Our victory was 
complete. 

The next day another boat came to seek the 
first one. We did likewise with these men, 
and the captain found that there were enough 
men on shore for him to attempt to regain his 
ship again. He talked to the sailors of the in¬ 
jury they had done him, and told them that 
if they aided him, he would see that they were 
pardoned in England. They were willing in¬ 
deed to aid him. It was decided that Friday 
and I should stay on shore with the two leaders 
of the mutiny while the captain and his men 
went out to the ship. 

As soon as the ship was captured, the cap¬ 
tain ordered seven guns to be fired, the signal 
agreed upon to give me notice of his success. 
Soon the boat came back to the island, and the 
captain himself came to the top of the hill: 
“My dear friend and deliverer,” he said, “there’s 
your ship, for she is all yours, and so are we 
and all that belong to her.” My deliverance 


62 


ROBINSON CRUSOE 


was at hand. Here was a large ship ready to 
carry me whither I pleased to go. 

The captain and I then consulted together as 
to what was to be done with the leaders of the 
mutiny. He said that they must be put in 
irons and hanged when we reached England. 
It was then that I told him what I desired. I 
wished to leave the two men upon my island. 
I had the men brought before me, and I told 
them of their plight if they went to England. 
I offered them in return the privilege of staying 
alive if they would remain on the island. I told 
them that I would leave them some firearms, 
some ammunition, and directions how to live 
well in this secluded spot. 

It was as I thought. They chose to stay on 
the island rather than to return to certain death. 
When they declared their willingness to stay, 
I told them the story of my living there. I gave 
them the whole history of the place and taught 
them how to plant corn, cure grapes, and make 
bread. In a word, I told them everything they 
needed to know in order to preserve their own 
lives. I told them also the story of the seven- 


WE SIGHT A SHIP 


63 


teen Spaniards that were expected, and I made 
them promise to treat them in common with 
themselves. 

Having done all this, I left them the next day 
and went on board ship. We prepared imme¬ 
diately to sail. My good man Friday would 
not be parted from me. When I took leave of 
the island, I carried on board certain relics— 
the great goat-skin cap I had made, one of my 
parrots, the money that had long been useless 
to me in the wilderness and was now so rusty 
and tarnished it would hardly pass for silver. 
And thus I left the island, the nineteenth of 
December, as I found by the ship’s account, in 
the year 1686, after I had been upon it eight- 
and-twenty years, two months, and nineteen 
days! 





Chapter X 


EPILOGUE 

I N THIS vessel I arrived in England, having 
been thirty-five years absent. I was as per¬ 
fect a stranger to all the world as if I had never 
been known there. My father and mother were 
dead, and all the family extinct, except that I 
found two sisters and two nephews. 

I met with one unexpected piece of gratitude. 
This was that the master of the ship whom I 
had so happily delivered, gave a handsome ac¬ 
count to the owners of the ship of how I had 
saved the lives of his men and his cargo. They 
invited me to meet them and made me a fine 
present of almost two hundred pounds sterling. 

However, I soon was restless again. I set sail 
for Lisbon, my man Friday accompanying me 
very honestly in this voyage, and all my future 
wanderings, and proving a most faithful ser¬ 
vant upon all occasions. 

64 








i\ 

























■ •« 















; 






















mat 

































































> • 










( 
















• 





• 




. 

. 
























r 






■ 




■ 










% 






















♦ 




. 





LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



□D054fl7blfl4 




















































































































